Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1887-11-18
INSPECTOR BYRNEs.
An Interesting Chat with New York's
Famous Thief Catcher.


He leaned carelessly against the iror
railing on the Twenty-eighth stree
side of the Gilsey House, just in tn,
shadow OF the hotel. He was dressed
IN neat business suit of mixed goods
wore white derby of the low-crowneo
style, smoked his cigar with evident
relish. and had the general air of {,
well-to-do man about town who knew
the good things of this world, and en-.
Joyed them. A stranger would have
taken him for one of the guests of the
Gisey-but he was not-he was
simply Inspector Byrnes, and what he
was doing there, standing quietly in
the darkness, the Graphic man did not
care to ask. Yet, as the big world drift
ed by along Broadway and under the
glare of the electric lights, showing
every man and woman's countenance
to the watchful, placid-faced man in
the shadows, the inspector dropped in .
to one OF his pleasant chatty moods,
and between the wreaths of his CIGAR
smoke told something Of the life tn at
-" iVuhoo MN CtCIy uty.
mo one knows how much wa.chful-
ness and continual care are required to
keep up successfully with the patience.
energy. talent and new methods of the
thieves of New York. Their system of
work against which we provide to-day
is replaced tomorrow by newer and
more intricate scheme which has been
evolved from the inventive brain of
some talented crook. The community
looks to us not only for the capture
and conviction of the thieves, but in a
large part expects us to prevent crime.
10 do this in any successful way en-
tails upon me and my officers
thorough and continuous knowledge
OF thieves and malefactors. their Gus
toms. manner Of life, habits and asso-
clates, their spe cial aptitudes and pc
and their general haunts
and Longing places. How do we at
tain to this knowledge In the simple
way possible-by unceasing daily as
ISOLATION with these thieves and law
breakers Of high and low degree. l
sounds strange, doesn't it, and vet it
Is true that there is not day of my
life but spend couple of hours
among that class of people. l re-
member how such a statement as
now make was received by Theodore
Roosevelt when he had me before his
investigation committee. He asked
me what considered
the qualifications of good
detective, and l enumerated youth.
energy, courage. enterprise, and an
acquaintance with thieves and their
methods. 'Whatr said Mr.. Roosevelt.
DO you consider intimacy with the
criminal classes one of the essential
qualifications of your officersp' ! re-
piled that l most certainly did, and
added that there was no day that / did
not pass some of my time among
thieves. Doyou include to-dayp' said
Mr.. Roosevelt 1 do, answered. for.
looking into this big audience, can
see several men have helped to send
to Sing Sing for various crimesr The
explanation seemed to satisfy the
young lawmaker, and he asked me no
further on that point. Yet the neces-
sty of this acquaintance with thieves
ought to be self-evident. If you love
your watch and come to me to aid in
finding it for you, do not go to Will
lam M. Evarts, nor to Archbishop
Corrigan. nor to Rev. Howard Crosby
to discover who stole it. l must 90
among thieves. and to be able to do
his and get you back your watch must
1ave the knowledge I speak about.
Why don't take vacation? Well. Til |
ell. Every time / 60 out of town.
wen for few hours. feel an irresist-
BILE impulse to get back. 1t seems to |
lie l might be needed. Go to Europep
No, no! My dear fellow. if ever they
get me outside of land they will have
o put handouts on me.-M y
Graphic.